The prior art is documented with various types of collapsible laundry container structures. A first example of this is disclosed in Hsu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,858 and having a base, an upper frame, a cover body, four supporting frames, six engaging members, and a water-proof bag is disclosed. The four supporting frames are engaged with the base and the upper frame by rivets to form two pairs of two-story supporting frames, and further fixed by the engaging members stopped with recesses and insert grooves disposed at one lateral side of each supporting frame so as to expand tightly and evenly the water-proof bag outside the supporting frames. In dismantling, the two-story supporting frames are pushed inward from outside the water-proof bag at the spot of the engaging members with the capacity of collapsible fold so as to fold and store the supporting frames neatly upon the base with the upper frame overlaid above. In addition, circular holes are disposed at the base to boost the circulation of air and a corrugated flange is provided at the bottom of the base to form a stable footing for supporting the base on the ground.
A further example drawn from the existing art is the disposable standing trash bag of Doffs, U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,143, and teaching a flexible container supported by a foldable frame. The frame includes at least one pair of vertically stacked horizontal hoops and a plurality of vertical supports. The supports are pivotally connected to the hoops and fold radially inwardly when the trash bag is folded. A slider restrains folding of the vertical supports when the trash bag is standing but can be released by turning the frame upside down so that the trash bag can be folded for storage, shipment or reuse.
The collapsible storage device of Zhen, US 2010/0059514, teaches first and second flexible loop members, each loop member defining a closed loop and having a first side and an opposing second side, each loop member adapted to assume an expanded position and a collapsed position, with the two loop members overlapping each other at a first overlapping point along the first sides of the loop members, and at a second overlapping point along the second sides of the loop members. The loop members are adapted to assume a deployed position in which one loop member is disposed at an angle with respect to the other loop member at the overlapping points, so that the structure defines a top side, four vertical sides, and a bottom side when in the loop members are in the deployed position. The structure also includes a flexible wall extending across the four vertical sides and the bottom side to define an interior space.
The collapsible basket of Day, U.S. Pat. No. 1,148,761, teaches a wire frame collapsible basket having a rectangular rim frame and a rectangular bottom frame. A centrally disposed stay-bar has heads connecting the transverse stretches of the bottom frame, with U-shaped end frames in hinged connection with the transverse stretches of the rim frame. The free transverse bottom stretches of the end frames are bowed upwardly and adapted to yieldingly engage the stay-bar to constitute stretches when the basket is distended, movement of the bowed portions being limited by the stay-bar heads, and a flexible sheathing provided for the bottom, side and ends of the frame, the sheathing being secured to the rim frame member.